MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Other Fiction Hall, Radclyffe: The Unlit Lamp, v.1, 8 Dec 2007.

yales · 12-09-2007, 08:40 PM

"...didn't realise that people also want to be surprised by the ending with other genres."

It is not just the "ending".

Every page of every work of fiction should be a surprise and delight to the reader.

The author created the work in a specific way to reveal facts, persons, relationships, events, etc. The craft is in the timing and method.

To tell the plot and relationships to the reader before they are presented as the author intended, is to do a serious disservice to both.

Remember, it not just revealing the "ending" that makes it a spoiler, any level of detail is harmful. Let the tale be told as the yarnspinner intended.

Here is an example from amazon introducing King Solomon's Mines:

"Book Description
When first published, in 1885, King Solomon’s Mines was an enormous popular success. The narrative follows the explorations of Allan Quatermain, a fortune hunter who travels to Africa in search of ancient treasures and a lost fellow explorer. Written as an adventure story, the novel is also a late-Victorian imperial romance that illuminates the politics of British imperialist capitalism in 1870s and 1880s South Africa. "

Great! Makes me want to read it. It gives me a broad introduction, yet tells me nothing about the adventure to come.

This section of the forum is E-BOOK Uploads, not necessarily a discussion of the works.

If they are discussed, maybe the replies are a better place, so downloaders may choose whether to learn more about the work, reading the whole thread.

yale

12-09-2007, 08:40 PM	#4
yales Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: blackberry mobi	"...didn't realise that people also want to be surprised by the ending with other genres." It is not just the "ending". Every page of every work of fiction should be a surprise and delight to the reader. The author created the work in a specific way to reveal facts, persons, relationships, events, etc. The craft is in the timing and method. To tell the plot and relationships to the reader before they are presented as the author intended, is to do a serious disservice to both. Remember, it not just revealing the "ending" that makes it a spoiler, any level of detail is harmful. Let the tale be told as the yarnspinner intended. Here is an example from amazon introducing King Solomon's Mines: "Book Description When first published, in 1885, King Solomon’s Mines was an enormous popular success. The narrative follows the explorations of Allan Quatermain, a fortune hunter who travels to Africa in search of ancient treasures and a lost fellow explorer. Written as an adventure story, the novel is also a late-Victorian imperial romance that illuminates the politics of British imperialist capitalism in 1870s and 1880s South Africa. " Great! Makes me want to read it. It gives me a broad introduction, yet tells me nothing about the adventure to come. This section of the forum is E-BOOK Uploads, not necessarily a discussion of the works. If they are discussed, maybe the replies are a better place, so downloaders may choose whether to learn more about the work, reading the whole thread. yale Last edited by yales; 12-09-2007 at 08:46 PM.